Meet the Team
Paul C. Hernandez, Executive Director
Paul C. Hernandez became Executive Director of Water Education for Latino Leaders (WELL) in June 2021. In his role at WELL, Mr. Hernandez will continue building upon the foundation of WELL’s annual conferences, regional workshops, and other programs (including the successful UnTapped fellowship). These activities continue to increase and advance water policy knowledge among California’s Latino leaders.
Mr. Hernandez’s career spans 20 years in leadership positions at the highest levels of nonprofits and local government. He has built a reputation for fostering strong working relationships and has a proven track record of demonstrating his ability to resolve large-scale organizational and community issues.
Mr. Hernandez was the Special Project Coordinator for the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles, the Economic Development Deputy for the Los Angeles City Council District 14, and was Associate Director of Homeland Security and Public Safety for both former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa and the current Mayor, Eric Garcetti. As the Executive Director of the Mayor’s Crisis Response Team, Mr. Hernandez recruited more than 200 community volunteers to support residents during local crises. He also served as the Principal Project Coordinator and Emergency Management Coordinator for the City of Los Angeles Emergency Management Department.
Furthermore, as Vice President of the Homeland Security Advisory Council, Mr. Hernandez led that organization’s financial management, fundraising partnerships, and strategic alliances. These efforts served to train and develop more than 900 crisis managers and public safety professionals in Southern California.
Mr. Hernandez was elected to the Baldwin Park City Council in November 2018; in November 2013 he was elected to the Valley Council Water District (VCWD). During his time at the VCWD, he was instrumental in leading the district’s Affordable Rate Program, which supports seniors and low-income families. He also championed a five-year multimillion-dollar infrastructure program that ensured safe and affordable drinking water for residents and businesses.
Mr. Hernandez earned his Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Woodbury University and his Master of Leadership degree from the University of Southern California.
Email Paul: Paul@latinosforwater.org
Marissa Stanley, Program Manager
Marissa Stanley is committed to empowering her local community. With a background as a Legislative Aide for the City of Long Beach and as a District Executive for the Greater Los Angeles Area Scouting, Ms. Stanley has dedicated her career to fostering community engagement and driving positive change.
Throughout her career, Ms. Stanley has actively collaborated with elected officials on various issues, aiming to enhance the quality of life within her community. Her dedication has played a pivotal role in addressing community concerns and advancing initiatives that contributed to the overall well-being of the residents. Ms. Stanley has played a key role in recruiting and nurturing talented individuals to assume leadership positions, efforts that not only strengthened organizational structures but had a lasting impact on the development of future community leaders.
Ms. Stanley’s unwavering dedication to community service extends to critical issues, including water conservation, showcasing her commitment to making a meaningful difference in the lives of her fellow community members.
Marissa Stanley graduated from the American University of Paris with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History, Law and Society.
Email Marissa at: Marissa@latinosforwater.org
Giselle Gándara, Civic and Political Engagement Manager
Giselle Gándara is a passionate advocate for sustainability, environmental justice, and environmental education. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she has a drive to use her passions to support low-income communities like the one she grew up in.
Ms. Gándara previously worked with the Peace Corps in Panama as a Sustainable Agriculture Extension Promoter, She helped mobilize community members to promote low-cost organic agriculture practices, facilitated workshops for rural farmers, and built strategic partnerships with local farming associations and NGOs to enhance farming techniques and promote carbon-sequestering practices.
Before her international service, Ms. Gándara was a teacher at Aventuras Forest School in Hollywood, CA. As a California Naturalist, she eagerly carried out a nature-centered curriculum entirely in Spanish, which helped promote deep environmental connections and bilingualism among preschool-aged children.
In this role, Ms. Gándara brings a passion for community advocacy and enabling leaders to take action to address California’s water inequities.
Ms. Gándara received an Associate’s Degree from Los Angeles Southwest Community College and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of California, Merced.
Email Giselle at: Giselle@latinosforwater.org
Stephanie Nava-Angeles, Program Manager
Stephanie Nava-Angeles became the Program Manager of Water Education for Latino Leaders (WELL) in September 2021. In her role at WELL, Ms. Nava-Angeles will continue building on WELL’s annual conference, virtual workshops, and other programs (including the successful UnTapped Fellowship). These activities continue to increase and advance water policy knowledge among California’s Latino leaders.
Ms. Nava-Angeles has been involved in a variety of organizations and projects, all aimed at supporting her community. During her time at the University of California at Riverside, Stephanie devoted herself to interning at multiple community-led organizations, including the Chino Basin Water Conservation District, the Riverside County Law Library, and the Beauty of Sharing Foundation.
Ms. Nava-Angeles began her career working at InBody USA, where she focused on planning and coordinating small and large-scale events in health and wellness. She played a key role in enhancing and developing wellness programs by partnering with other organizations, leading the company’s charity fundraising efforts, expanding InBody’s digital presence, and aiding in various research initiatives.
Her passion for water conservation and community engagement is what led Ms. Nava-Angeles to join WELL. She believes access to clean water is a fundamental human right and that the lack of access to clean water highlights a variety of environmental injustices in minority communities.
Ms. Nava-Angeles earned her Bachelor of Science degree in sustainability studies and a Bachelor of Arts in political science at the University of California at Riverside.
Email Stephanie: stephanie@latinosforwater.org
Dr. Samuel Sandoval Solis,
Policy and Curriculum Advisor
Dr. Samuel Sandoval Solis is an Associate Professor at the University of California Davis (UC Davis) and a Cooperative Extension Specialist in Water Resources Management at the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the University of California (UCANR).
In his dual role as professor and specialist, he is responsible for the California statewide outreach, education and applied research program on water resources management for UCANR; and as a professor he is responsible for fundamental research, teaching, and graduate student mentorship at the Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources in UC Davis. His research interest focuses on integrated water resources management through a holistic approach, mixing different methods, tools and processes to improve water resources management.
Dr. Jose Pablo Ortiz Partida
Science and Curriculum Advisor
Dr. Jose Pablo Ortiz Partida (Pablo) collaborates with WELL as a Senior Bilingual Climate and Water Scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists. Flowing clean rivers, clear lakes, and majestic oceans are among his favorite landscapes. His professional goal is to develop equitable solutions for preserving and distributing clean water for people and the environment. In his role, he takes the lead in identifying and developing analytic and community-based research projects about how climate change affects underrepresented communities. Pablo also works on developing strategies for vulnerable sectors and populations to cope and adapt to climate change’s current and projected impacts, particularly related to water impacts.
